Native American Heroism During the World Wars

As terror and war loomed over the globe in the 1910s and 1940s, Native Americans were quick to enlist. The number of Native Americans who enlisted in the United States military largely surpassed in proportion the enlistment of any other ethnicity. During WWI , many Natives believed that if they were to enlist in the military, they would be granted full American citizenship. The promise of a better life, combined with their admiration of heroism as a value, fueled their desire to serve in multiple ways during the great wars. During World War II, there were originally 5,000 Natives serving in the military, with that number reaching 25,000 as the war came to an end.